A State of Harmony

The profound relaxation available through yoga includes a state of clarity of mind, and of harmony with and understanding of the world. If such a state of relaxation is your goal, you will need to use most of the yoga techniques available. Pay special attention to breathing, diet, correctly performing the exercises, and meditating.

The deep, prolonged breath one learns through yoga helps the brain stay oxygenated, which contributes to mental clarity. Diet influences the structure of our body as well as our brain. The exercises (called asanas and pranayamas) were developed thousands of years ago to produce beneficial results.

To have the desired effects, yoga routines must be carried out correctly. Poor yoga practices will likely produce disappointing results.

The Keys

Your attitude and your focus are the keys to making your yoga experience deeply satisfying. Entering the profound stage of relaxation and synchronization between your inner and your outer self can occur only with appropriate action.

Relaxation is actually a necessary part of every yoga routine. The body needs to relax after practicing the exercises, especially the more demanding ones. Certain asanas require an unusual positioning of the body, which can result in discomfort if the relaxation stage is omitted.

Bridging Worlds

Yoga connects the spiritual and material worlds, and relaxation is the bridge that brings the practitioner back fully to the present reality.

As a general rule, during relaxation exercises, you will lie down comfortably and meditate. Your yoga trainer will suggest ways for you to gradually move and position your feet and arms. Yoga routines may have different relaxation exercises, but they all have the purpose of cushioning the shock of contact with the surrounding reality. Relaxation also helps to maintain a certain degree of peacefulness created by the routine.

But talk is never enough. The only way to be sure of the relaxation benefits of yoga is to try it yourself. The only thing you have to lose is your tension.

Both times, I was hit badly and constantly turned to the bottle for a solution. The bottle never will be a solution and yet, I hoped it would be.

Yoga and the soon-to-be-mother
Theres all this hype about Yoga that I didnt fully understand before whats all this clamor about Yoga for pregnancy?? Whats the big deal? You have a big belly, retch half the time, have a sudden liking for pickle and have to wear your husbands clothing.you need Yoga to help you deal with all that?

But of course, I only began the understand the benefits of Yoga as a mother when I started going for the classes, read about them in books, magazines and websites. This amazing method can help mothers regain their physical strength and sends them into a journey of self-discovery and improvement. Instead of helping you deal with others, in Yoga, everything starts from within. Therefore, to solve a problem, you have to go inside.

And inside a mother, its always a battle zoneand its tumultuous half the time. Pizza or no pizza? Sex or no sex tonight? What kind of mother will I be? Will I sprain my own childs fingers when I try to put his/her clothes on? With the kind of bizarre thinking (and hormones) going on inside our mind and our body, mothers often have a difficulty finding peace. Your doctor will tell you time and time again that although nutrition is important, finding peace, quiet and calm in yourself and in your life is just important for an expectant mother.

Yoga for the regular mother
Considering the fact that Yoga can help bring calm into calamity, its obviously a good choice for you to try out Yoga if youre thinking of starting an exercise program. Better yet, join a gymwhich is what I did. I used to scoff at people who join gyms and judging from the loud dance music, I remember thinking to myself Yikesgym is just a sorry excuse for a disco. Instead of serving peanuts, they serve fruit mixes. Instead of alcohol, they serve bottled water. But everyones trying to get into a social thing in the gym. Its a social club!

And as a mother, I dont have the time to join a social club.

But I was wrong. As soon as I gave the 10-day free classes trial, I was hooked. No makeup, no dressup (oh, the younger gym-goers still dress up to the nines and apply mascara for gym) and no pretense. I go to the gym and attend the Yoga class to sweat to end up looking ugly but feeling damn good!

Mothers can open up their minds and free up their hearts after Yoga
Yoga has this tranquilizing effect on people that can hardly be explained with words. It has to be felt. Its like youre striking those poses, stretching those muscles and bending over backwardsand all this while, your mind is opening up and all impure thoughts are just flying out of it.

Yoga can be like taking out the trash.

And this can be good for the whole family, especially the kids, as well. After a session of uninterrupted Yoga, youll feel renewed. Even a grumpy, sleeping, tired and beaten-out mother will have more energy to spend time with the kids. Instead of feeling disgruntled and trapped, a mother can use Yoga to actually find an opening, a release that helps relax, not only the body, but the mind as well.

I don’t know about you but I am going for more classes because I have seen the benefits. Yoga can do a whole lot for the ordinary non-married kidless people. Imagine what it can do for a mother.

While yoga is commonly seen as just being an exercise in the West, it is an important part of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. For those who are followers of these religions, yoga is not only seen as being an exercise, but is also a method that can be used to attain enlightenment. This practice has existed for thousands of years, and has been mentioned in a number of important Indian texts such as the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita. Contemporary yoga is comprised of a number of different principles, and many of these are taken from Indian religions.

The purpose of the postures is to keep the body healthy and fit. Practitioners will often chant, and may perform breathing techniques as well. Meditation plays an important role in yoga, and many western yoga establishments present the practice in a way that can help those who don’t practice Hinduism. Many people in the West are attracted to yoga because of its ability to relax both the body and the mind. In addition to this, it is a great way to stay physically fit. Many people who practice yoga view it as being a great way to improve their health or enhance the function of their minds.

The goal of some yoga practitioners is to achieve what is called samadhi. Samadhi is a complex mental state where a person can achieve ecstasy. The goals of those who practice yoga will vary based on their religion and background. Those who practice Hinduism believe that yoga is away of getting close to God. Buddhists believe that yoga can help individuals achieve a deeper level of wisdom. Western nations place an importance on individualism, so many people in the West will use yoga as a method for self improvement.

Yoga is a very ancient practice that places an emphasis on having full control over the body and the mind. Many people who use it believe that they will be able to gain insight into the underlying structure of reality. The Yogi is a person who will attain an state of enlightenment where their thoughts will cease, and they will achieve a type of union. Yoga is a very complex subject which can mean different things for different people. Even if one does not wish to attain enligtenment, this practice can allow them to enhance their own insight. Even though yoga has strong connections to Indian religions, it is not a religion itself. Even though the exact age of this practice is not known, it is estimated that it has existed for at least 6,000.

While someone might temporarily lose a few pounds with a “diet”, diets are not successful when it comes to permanent weight loss and healthy weight loss.

As they say, I have some good news and some bad news.

The good news is that there IS a known and proven way to achieve significant, healthy, permanent weight loss. More good news is that, although some modification to what you presently like to eat will be necessary, extremely drastic changes are seldom required. Oh, yes, you might have to learn to substitute something you don’t like that much right now for something you do like, but, in time, you can get accustomed to this, and even learn to like the new flavors and foods. I know. I’ve been there.

The bad news is that, along with modifications to your eating habits, you are going to have to become more active. Dare I say it….?

You will have to exercise!

The benefits of exercise is an article in itself, and I have written elsewhere about how exercise can take many forms, so there is no need to lock yourself into an unpleasant or painful exercise regimen. What I really want to do here is give a small pitch for the practice of yoga as my exercise program of choice. Remember, however, my exercise program of choice might not be yours. As much as I like yoga, you will have to decide if yoga is right for you.

Before I speak specifically about yoga, let’s just list some of the known benefits of regular exercise in general. Exercise…

>Reduces the risk or affects of many illnesses and conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, arthritis, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis to name a few. Some studies even show possible reductions in the risk for some cancers.

>Elevates mood and reduces depression.

>Helps maintain healthy bones, muscles, joints, and nervous system.

>Delays affects of ageing, making seniors more mobile and self sufficient and less likely to fall prey to injury or illness.

>Reduces risk of premature death (sounds like a big one to me).

>Helps maintain a healthy weight.

Okay, since any good exercise program can provide these benefits, what does yoga have to offer that makes it special?

In addition to providing the basic benefits of exercise in general, yoga does have a few specific things going for it.

1. Despite the apparently agonizing contortions seen in every yoga book, the benefit is in the attempt to achieve the position. The models in the books arrived at their present level of ability over time, and many a skilled practitioner of yoga today began in the same shape you’re in right now. It is okay to modify a position or to come out of it a little early if your body is not ready yet. The regular practice of your best version of the movement or position (asana), combined with yoga breathing techniques (easily learned) will produce progress over time.

2. No personal trainer or special equipment is needed, nor is it necessary to go to the gym or even out in public at all. You can do yoga naked if you don’t have a pair of gym shorts, and a carpet is just as good as a yoga mat…at least at first. Yoga is actually so simple that it CAN be learned from a book, although it certainly wouldn’t hurt to get guidance or training from a certified instructor.

3. Yoga is relaxing and relieves stress. Not only is this of great personal value in today’s world, but if any part of your weight loss problem is stress related, and I can almost guarantee some relationship, the stress relief offered by yoga can ease that portion of your weight loss journey.

4. In addition to being good for your health for several reasons, simply learning yoga breathing and practicing it regularly can help you burn fat.

5. As you begin to progress in your ability to better perform yoga poses (asanas) you will notice a sense of control, of mastery of life and self, which will become more evident. This new inner strength will aid you in facing difficulties, including temptations concerning eating and your new eating behaviors. You will also find yourself more forgiving, not only of others, but of yourself as well, and when you slide a little, you will be better able to shrug it off and get back on your path to success.

6. With more progress in your yoga practice, you will begin to experience new feelings of health, strength, and well-being. These feelings will in turn motivate you to take even more control of your life so that you can continue your progress with no desire or temptation to return to the way things used to be.

Nothing is perfect for everyone, but, as you can see, the practice of yoga does have some benefits to offer which may make it valuable in the pursuit of healthy, permanent weight loss.

Obesity put strain on heart, respiratory and eliminatory system. It also increases the chances of diabetes, hypertension and heart diseases. Generally it is seen that obese people are also lower in vitality.

Obesity occurs in mostly two types of people. In stressful people who eat very fast and in excess and secondly in household person who eat from boredom. As the people put on weight they tend to become less happy because of their appearance and become more frustrated. Some people think by taking insufficient food can help in reducing weight. But when they start dieting, body starts to slow down in order to conserve energy and boost its chances of survival. This is why weight loss tends to slow down as we continue to diet. So in a way dieting is not the good method for reducing weight.

The most common cause of obesity is overeating and less physical movement. Overeating problem is coupled with poor diet and also wrong timing of eating said Subodh Gupta, Yoga expert from India. In fact to fight growing obesity among children, some of the schools in the UK are planning to introduce yoga for thousands of young students. This is an excellent step in the direction of fighting the obesity problem of UK.

Yoga practice provides an excellent means for maintaining balanced weight and overcoming obesity problem, provided a daily yoga program is followed with regular routine according to Subodh Gupta Yoga expert based in London.

Gentle yoga asana (postures) followed by Sun salutation exercise are very good for removing blockages and librating pranic energy in our body and helpful in revitalizing the body and mind. One should do yoga exercise to their comfort level but never to strain oneself. Yoga asana (postures) helps in building up strength and vitality slowly but surely. Yoga Exercise does not have to be intense or vigorous, but it must be regular and should amount to at least 30 minutes a day. Along with Yoga exercise, healthy diet at proper time and practice of relaxation technique is very helpful for overcoming obesity and maintaining balanced weight.

Yoga may not look like other forms of exercise to most people, but they are amazed at how the seemingly simple poses can work out so many different areas of their body.

Why Yoga is Different

For people lacking in confidence about their body image, some group activities can backfire causing people to further disconnect from their bodies and actively resist taking care of themselves. Yogas emphasis is on self-acceptance which makes it more appealing, a less intimidating way to get active. Yoga stresses a nonjudgmental emphasis on body awareness.

Yoga is not a competitive sport- there are no winners or losers. Yoga can give less confident people that much-needed support from their peers. If someone in a class has difficulty with a particular pose, often others in the room help them out. Yoga offers many people an opportunity to just relax. Just getting to be without having to achieve anything in particular- is a huge relief to many people.

The Added Benefits of Yoga

Traditional sports tend to emphasize strength and speed over flexibility. Many adults overlook the importance of stretching. Additionally others use weight training to develop major muscles while ignoring the supportive and opposing muscles which are equally as important. Yoga can help correct these imbalances. It helps build endurance and flexibility, thereby improving athletic performance. Yoga can also enhance your ability to concentrate and focus, and improve your posture. Chest-opening postures and inverted poses strengthen arms, shoulders and back muscles, which teach you how to carry yourself with more self confidence.

Yoga can also teach you how to stay calm centered and focused in the midst of distraction and to let your body relax. This is an important skill for anyone who is experiencing transitions- physical, emotional, intellectual in todays fast paced world. Yoga often becomes an outlet for working out peoples emotions. It can help you take control of you frustration and find alternative ways to deal with it rather than reacting right away.

Pressure from stress and a great many other disorders are some of the main reasons why people turn to yoga. And why wouldnt they when in return they gain a healthy body and a new outlook on life. Without doubt it is a force in its self to help combat anger outbursts, frustration and depression.

By practising yoga under the hands of dedicated followers then you are certain of results in banishing any displeasures you may have. Yoga is very effective in the way it takes control over those displeasures and replaces them with positive thoughts.

People are taking to such exercises because of the relaxed thinking pattern it imposes on the mind where all your cares and woes are put on hold. It also helps relieve those discomforts that come with every day life. Exercising your body in yoga movements is a satisfying master of all remedies achieved naturally.

All ages can participate in yoga. Even school children are practicing the moves to overcome their anger outbursts, in other words tantrums when not getting their own way. Remember workouts can be done at home if preferred.

In fact, yoga practiced at home can prove to be more relaxing because you are in control over your own moves unless of course you are following a routine put together on a video etc.

Exercises like the Hatha Yoga may be the best for you. For effects to take place this exercise has to be practiced consistently otherwise no results for body improvement? For the digestive system to respond accurately to your yoga actions then empty your bowels and clear your nose from mucus before practice takes place. Concentration is very important to adhere too when doing yoga; any distractions can upset the apple cart. When in practice at home there are no set times to when you start and finish. You may find first thing in the morning is perfect where no interruptions from salesman at the door
Set your self in the mood then choose which room in the house your yoga will take place and open a window for ventilation.

Peace and quiet are key features behind your WORKOUT WORKING OUT.

Yoga deals with all levels of your being. It includes your relationship with the world and with yourself. It deals with the senses, body, breath, all the levels of mind, and that which is beyond your mind, often called spirit, soul, consciousness, or Self.

There are many forms of yoga, and all have a spiritual component. Most Westerners practice hatha yoga, which focuses on the physical aspects. Yoga teaches you a series of stationary and moving poses called asanas and a form of breath control known as pranayama, as well as concentration techniques.

Yoga postures are designed to balance the different systems of the body, including the central nervous, the endocrine, glandular, and the digestive systems. By slowing down your mental activity, taking your mind off the causes of stress, and having you gently stretch your body in ways that massage your internal organs, yoga helps you create dynamic peacefulness within yourself.

Some of the health benefits of Yoga are:

Increases stamina
Strengthens and tones muscles
Improves flexibility and joint mobility
Improves digestion
Lowers cholesterol and blood sugar levels
Boosts immune response
Improves circulation

Yoga has also its mental benefits such as:

Relaxes the mind and body
Relieves chronic stress patterns in the body
Increases positive body awareness
Centers attention
Sharpens concentration
Frees the spirit.

The Eastern practice of yoga is also an excellent and effective stress-reducing forms of exercise. According to the science of yoga, the diaphragm is the seat of the intelligence of the heart and the window to the soul. However, during stressful situations, when you inhale and exhale, the diaphragm becomes too tight and alter its shape. Yoga exercises develop elasticity in the diaphragm that will address this problem so that when it is stretched, it can handle any amount of stress, whether intellectual, emotional, or physical.

The slow and effortless breathing during the practice of yoga, triggers a sense of calm and well-being to the body cells. It relaxes the facial muscles and releases all tension from the organs of the senses such as the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin. When this happens, the brain, which is in constant communication with these organs learns to relax and become still and rested.

When you attain this state of control, invading fears and anxieties can not penetrate the brain. When you develop this ability, you perform your daily activities with efficiency and ease. You do not use up all your valuable energy but you enter a mood of true clarity of intellect.

If somebody wishes to have a better quality of life, stop complaining and start to make better decisions. It has been proven that negative emotions can trigger illness and even death. When one is in tune with himself, his body, mind and soul, there are a lot of reasons to actually live the life you always want. Yoga is the spiritual path through which one will have to tread to reach ones destination. And, to reach that goal, one should be dedicated to follow the road signs. Yoga is an alternative route where your mind can be filled with calm and tranquility and be stress-free!

Environment

The space should be quiet, and ideally used only for yoga. (Can be a section of any room)
Place a mat, blanket or towel on the floor.
The temperature should be moderate – not too cold and not too hot.
The room should have fresh air but not windy or cold.
Sunrise and sundown are desirable times for yoga (although any time works!)

Preparation

Wear light comfortable clothing.
A bath or shower before is good for limberness -wait at least 20 minutes after
practicing before bathing)
In the morning wash, urinate and move the bowels before practice.
Practice before eating or wait two hours after a meal.

Physical Practice (asanas)

Do not practice if there is a fever or deep wounds. Consult a teacher if there is an illness.
Spend five to ten minutes warming up/stretching before beginning practice.

Do not force your limbs into a difficult position. In time your body will open. We are after sensation not pain!

Beginners should hold each asana for 3-5 breaths. After about three months of regular practice this can be increased to 5 to 10 breaths.

Always inhale and exhale through the nostrils unless specified otherwise. Focus on making the breath slow and smooth.

At any time you need a rest come into child pose or shavasana (corpse pose)
Finish asanas with shavasana for five to ten minutes.

How often to practice.

The rule of thumb for how often to practice is simple: It is better to practice for short durations regularly than to practice once a week for a long time. In other words it is better to practice 4 times a week for forty-five minutes then to practice one day for two hours.

With that being said some people get what they need from practicing just a couple of times each week while other practice five or six times a week. It varies from person to person. On average though you will get the most benefit from your practice with average of four sessions per week. The length of time of each session depends on your experience with yoga, time constraints, level of fitness, and motivation. A good idea is to have a journal to keep track of your practice with information such as date, how long you practiced, what you practiced, how you felt during and after your practice, what thoughts came to mind during practice, how you felt later in the day as well as the next day, which postures were challenging and which were felt good.

General framework for your session

Always begin your practice with easy movements and build towards the more difficult postures ending with a cool down. Imagine a bell curve: at the beginning of the bell curve is a moment of centering. As you move up the curve there are warm-ups, then opening postures which help to build heat/ flexibility/strength and at the top of the curve are the most challenging postures. Moving down the other side of the bell curve are cool down postures followed by Shavasana.

Here is a template that you can use to create your own practice session:

Theme or focus (more on this below):

Centering:
Warm-ups:
Opening postures
Challenging postures:
Cool down postures:
Shavasana:

Which postures to practice.

Sometimes it is fun to have a practice without any preconceived notion of what to do and just see what comes out. Sometime it is desirable to tune into your body and see what your body is asking for. Other times youll want to plan your session as indicated above. It is during these session that having theme will be helpful. Some classical themes include: backbends, forward bends, twists, balance postures, standing postures, seated postures, inversions, restorative postures, hip openers, shoulder openers, strength building postures, groin openers, hamstring openers, and postures that build energy. Linking postures together (vinyasa) is yet another way to create a practice. In the Iyengar system we focus on linking alignment cues from posture to posture. Of course you may have specific health reasons that you are working with for which it would be best to consult a qualified yoga teacher to help create a practice. I encourage you to be creative come up with your own themes and see how it is. It has been said that in yoga you are both the scientist and the experiment!

In my book Beginning Yoga: A Practice Manual I offer 20 different practice sequences to guide your home practice as well as a chapter on how to set up a home practice.

Yoga is a comforting and enjoyable where routines are followed consisting of poses and bodily postures that give the body a healthy look and feel. An additional bonus to yoga is you get to unwind/relax while at the same tending to your body needs.

Without doubt it is known to ease stress and research behind the scenes of yoga discovered that certain illnesses have been calmed for those who practice this exercise. Disorders namely anxiety, blood pressure, back pain, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and many more have been controlled by a yoga way of life. Other sicknesses that have come under threat of being eased or even abolished are arthritis, chronic fatigue, headaches. People have found it has a strong influence on reducing asthma. It is no wonder why this routine is practised on a regular basis with the positive effects it has on ailing patients. Now that the benefits have finally been recognised it is becoming a phenomenal craze and why wouldnt it when the rewards are greater than that of winning the lottery. No amount of money can buy a content mind – healthy body and soul.

Pleasing experiences generated from yoga is the sense of well being where stress is eased and forgotten while you lapse into a sedate frame of mind.
Reasons why people have chosen to take up yoga are because of how it helps tone muscle/flexibility and strengthens stamina pace. Obese participants understand how beneficial it is helping them to burn off excess fat without the demand tactics like that of a strenuous assault course.

Yoga and concentration are a very compatible twosome, if working hand in hand it helps to improve creativity.
The positive side to yoga is where it gives you control in tending to your body needs naturally instead of turning to medicinal pills (Depending of course of your condition) Yoga is as positive as you can get.
Keeping your body fit is important so a healthy blood circulation is imminent to keep organs and veins functioning properly. Your immune system if stimulated is a force strong enough to fight sickness.

Yoga and how it affects each individual differs greatly but does it matter as long as it leads to a healthier life?

Psychological, mental and physical sicknesses are just a few main factors why people are joining in the fun of yoga and claiming control over their health. Forget any belief you may have that yoga is a religious activity, quite the opposite in fact.
You and yoga a match made in heaven. In a nutshell – in sickness and health